Pyrolysis comprises the thermal treatment of carbon-based material, or feedstock, in a low or no oxygen environment to chemically modify the material to produce a combustible gas often referred to as synthetic gas or syngas. The solid material remaining after the synthesis typically comprises char or ash. The synthetic gas can be used as fuel in a manner similar to natural gas.
Feedstock can comprise solid fuel, such as coal and waste coal, and/or carbon-waste products, such as but not limited to used tires, biomass, municipal solid waste, and auto shredder residue. The resulting char or ash predominantly ideally comprises chemically inert carbon having a fractional volume of the feedstock from which it results.
Pyrolyzers as the name suggests are devices that perform the act of pyrolysis. In at least some applications, pyrolyzers are utilized as part of a system that both treats waste and generates electricity through the use of gas fired steam boilers and an associated generator.